NextPharma, a European pharmaceutical CDMO, has completed the acquisition from Takeda of a state-of-the-art chewable tablets manufacturing site in Asker, Norway.

The Asker site, which has approximately 170 employees and a high degree of production automation, has operated for more than 50 years, producing a broad portfolio of strengths and flavors of calcium/vitamin D3 chewable tablets. 

The site will be NextPharma’s center of excellence for the development and manufacturing of chewable tablet forms, adding to NextPharma’s existing site portfolio of centers of excellence, each specializing in different technologies and product types. With its unique capabilities and employee expertise, the site is well-positioned to attract new customers with both product development and commercial manufacturing business.

Bjørn Lie, head of the manufacturing site at Asker said: “With NextPharma, we are confident that Takeda has chosen a buyer who will help nurture and grow the Asker site. We are all excited about joining the NextPharma team and look forward to working together to drive the long-term development and growth of the business and our people.”

Peter Burema, CEO of NextPharma, said: “We are excited by the addition of a world-class manufacturing site and a new center of excellence for chewable tablets to our operational network, allowing us to further broaden our technology offering for both existing and new customers. These technologies, combined with the know-how and expertise of the site’s employees, will continue to benefit patients across the world.”

Eduardo Montanha, senior vice president, head of small molecules operating unit, Takeda, said: “We are pleased to have divested the Asker plant to NextPharma, to whom all of our Asker manufacturing employees have transferred. In NextPharma, we believe we have found the most suitable owner for the site, offering a great fit for the Asker facility and team. We sincerely thank the team in Asker for its work and dedication over the past years and for always putting our customers and patients at the center of what they do. We wish them and NextPharma every success.”